MQM’s Hammad Siddiqui handed over to Pakistan

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has handed over the wanted Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) leader Hammad Siddiqui to Pakistani authorities, according to reports.

He was mainly required in the Baldia Town factory fire, a blaze, which had erupted at Ali Enterprises in Karachi’s Baldia Town on September 11, 2012, taking the lives of over 250 labourers.

According to a local media outlet, Siddiqui has already arrived in Pakistan and is in the custody of intelligence agencies, his deportation was conducted by mutual intelligence coordination between Pakistan and UAE.

Siddiqui who is wanted in a number of heinous crimes holds marketing manager visa from Al Takatuf General Trading (LLC) since 2014. He had moved to Dubai in late 2013 after his membership had been suspended for violating party discipline.

As per reports, Siddiqui has been residing on a permanent visa in Dubai. The visa bears his name Hammad Siddiqui Masih ul Haq Siddiqui. The accused was arrested by Interpol in late October by Dubai police.

The main accused of the Baldia factory tragedy, Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, had admitted before the investigation team that he had deliberately set ablaze the Ali Enterprises on the instructions of MQM leader Hammad Siddiqui.

Nearly 250 people burnt to death after a horrific blaze erupted in the factory in September 2012. Following which, the government formed a JIT to thoroughly investigate the matter, which had disclosed that “the fire that engulfed Baldia factory was an outcome of a pre-planned scheme and that it was no accident,” and “The factory was set ablaze over non-payment of extortion money.”

JIT report stated that MQM sector in-charge Rehman alias Bhola and Hammad Siddiqui had demanded Rs 200 million extortion from owners of the factory.

On November 28 during the hearing of the case, an anti-terrorism court grilled authorities for not being able to arrest Hammad Siddiqui and Rehman alias Bhola, the other two suspects in the case. The court had ordered the interior ministry to arrest fugitives with the help of Interpol.